Present

The initiative will bring educational activities about the eclipse to retirement homes, prisons, schools and social organizations so that all citizens can experience this exceptional phenomenon.

The Generalitat today presented “Eclipse for Everyone”, an educational and informative program that aims to ensure that the total solar eclipse of August 12 reaches all citizens, especially those groups that usually have more difficulty accessing scientific dissemination activities.

The presentation took place at the Mas Piteu Residential Center, in Barcelona, ​​with the participation of the Minister for Research and Universities, Núria Montserrat, and the Minister for Social Rights and Inclusion, Raúl Moreno, who previously held a meeting with those responsible for the residential center and the Catalan Foundation for Research and Innovation (FCRI). They later attended an informative activity about the eclipse and an astronomical observation with the residents.

During the visit, the Minister of Research and Universities, Núria Montserrat, highlighted that “with this event we want to bring the eclipse closer to the elderly but also listen to them because they have a lot to say on this issue. Today we have come to present the educational activities that we are carrying out to put science at the center of the Government’s strategy and involve all citizens in this extraordinary phenomenon”.

For his part, the Minister of Social Rights and Inclusion, Raúl Moreno, stressed that “the eclipse is an extraordinary event that we will be able to experience from Catalonia and we want everyone to be able to enjoy it, including the elderly. That is why we wanted to bring this phenomenon closer to the residences, explaining how it will occur and making it easier for them to experience it in complete safety”.

The program is part of the Catalonia looks to the sky initiative, promoted by the Department of Research and Universities, which coordinates the Government’s actions to prepare Catalonia for an exceptional astronomical event that has not been repeated for more than a hundred years.

Science reaches the whole of society

“Eclipse for everyone” was born with the desire that no person be left out of this unique experience. For this reason, the project will bring activities, workshops and informative resources to retirement homes, prisons, leisure foundations, schools and other social facilities so that people of all ages and circumstances can understand what a total solar eclipse is and experience it with safety and knowledge.

The first of these activities took place today at the Mas Piteu residential center, where the support and operations astronomer of the Montsec Observatory, Gemma Domènech, offered an informative session on the astronomical phenomenon and the keys to observing it safely. The activity culminated with an astronomical observation in the center’s gardens.

An opportunity to share knowledge

The total solar eclipse of August 12 represents an extraordinary opportunity to arouse interest in science and bring research closer to the public. With this program, the Government wants to turn this great event into a shared experience, encouraging the participation of all groups and reinforcing the role of scientific dissemination as a tool for social cohesion.

The “Eclipse for Everyone” activities are part of the set of actions promoted by the Government within the framework of Catalonia looks to the sky, which also include educational resources, activities in municipalities, citizen science projects and initiatives to guarantee a safe and inclusive observation of the eclipse.